Imprinted
by ImagineClan United
Summary: Her pelt rippled in the wind, though the rest of her body was horrifyingly limp. Red drops of blood flew everywhere. Her eyes, those luminous orbs, open in an eternal look of sorrow. Even if the rest of it faded over time, I know I will always remember those beautiful eyes. They, along with all those carefree days we spent together, would be imprinted in my memory forever.
1. Prologue

AN: This is IC's newest Collab story! We put a lot of hard work into this, and while everyone collborates together to edit it, someone writes it first. If you like the writing style of a certain chapter, be sure to check out the main author's stories!

Main author of this chapter/prologue: One Twinkle in a Million

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

_I remember it so clearly, even now so many seasons later. The orange leaves were crinkling in the wind, blowing to the ground like dust one by one. The faint shriek of a falcon echoed throughout the sky. A breeze blew past my ears, tickling the tips. I could smell on the air the frozen moons to come, and the stone beneath my paws —hardened by the mountain— felt gelid to the touch. My nose burned with cold as I inhaled deeply, lost in the scent and sights of home..._

"Hey! What are. You. Doing? Runt!"

_They often spoke like this to me; afraid of the curse I would put on them if they spoke to me too much, afraid of a tiny little to-be._

"Pay. Attention!"

"Shush, Beetle," a ginger she-cat murmured, flicking his muzzle with her slender tail._ This was Red sun hanging over sky — my beloved mentor— who had spoken. She was the only one who accepted be, the only one who didn't believe in those stupid, superstitious rumors._

_I loved her like I would love a mother; after all, she was more of a mother to me than my real one was. She didn't have vacant, blank eyes and unresponsive moments. She was full of life, she was comforting, she was everything a kit could wish for as a parent._

_She was Red._

"Anyways, we're only here to hunt," a silver tabby meowed. "The sooner we get it over with, the better."

"Straight to the point as always, Fish," a pale brown tom responded with a twitch of his whiskers. Amusement shone in his eyes.

_Then all of a sudden they were ignoring me. Again._

_Then, an unexpected, brisk current of wind caught our attention. All five of us looked up immediately, pelts bristling and muscles tense._

_It was a hawk, we saw, a hawk that had already caught some prey and wasn't going to attack us, but why was it flying so low? There was a white bundle in its talons; _a hare, one of those special white ones that came out during the Time of Frozen Water_, my naïve apprentice side told me. But apparently Red thought differently._

The ginger she-cat narrowed her yellow eyes. "Is that— no, it can't be!" she looked horrified, as the rest of us —at least, the three prey-hunters, since no one wanted to meet my gaze— exchaged confused glances.

_What happened next happened in a blur. Red had taken off, the only sign that she'd ever been there a cloud of sand and dirt that took its time settling back down. I had never seen a cat so fast in me life, nor do I think I will ever see one like that again._

_I started to panic. Red was the only cave-guard of this hunting group! If she left, all of us would be exposed to predators like other hawks, eagles, and falcons. The three other cats shot rabbit-swift glances at me; me, Red's to-be, a cave-guard in training. I was supposed to know exactly what to do in situations like here. I had been taught, over and over again what to do._

_So why did my mind refuse to work?_

_Shame burned my pelt. At that moment, all I wanted to do was run, run and follow Red and escape these stares that lasted less than a heartbeat._

_If I left, I know what would happen. When I came back they would beat me. They would beat me and call me names, forever brand me as the useless coward._

_But still I ran away._

_It took a long time before I even saw a ginger speck; Red was still following the hawk, unaware of anything but her hot pursuit. The hawk screeched, but was too greedy to let go of its bundle._

_The sight of my mentor renewed my energy, and with a new burst of speed I had passed Red and spring onto the hawk's back. It shrieked once again, flapping its wings wildly and smacking me in the face, but I stuck with it as we fell and even after we hit the ground. I sank my fangs into its bony neck, tasting the metallic, salty tang of blood on my tongue and tried not to recoil away from the squirming dappled brown monster._

_I'm not really sure what happened afterwards. I was dizzy from pain —in both my legs and my head, though to this day I'm not sure why— and my vision was fuzzy. I could only see a ginger blob nosing a smaller white blob away from the bloodstained feathers, and my brain didn't even stop to wonder what the white thing was. But then it turned its head to me, eyes squeezed shut, and for a split second opened them — big, bright, emerald orbs that filled up my sight and were the last things I saw before collapsing of exhaustion._

_Later I would learn that the white creature I'd saved was a kit; a kitten, almost perfectly white with the faintest silver tabby stripes I'd ever seen, and those moon-big eyes that seemed to bore straight into my soul. They called her Ice, Ice falling from the sky, and they explained that it was because she kept whimpering in her sleep about how her mother was going to name her "Icefall". And what struck me most, even more than the green eyes, was how she looked disconcertingly like _her_._

_Little did I know this would be a huge ...problem... later on. But that doesn't matter now. My name, you, ask? Smolder —Smoldering embers of dead flames. But that is not of importance either._

_All you need to know is that this was the beginning of a cold season that seemed to last forever._


	2. Chapter 1

**Main author of this chapter: ExplosionsAreFun**

* * *

><p>Smolder woke up in Stoneteller's den that next day, herbs plastered on his wounds from his battle with the hawk. He opened his eyes, blinking a few times and remembering why he was here. He thought about the little white bundle and wanted to jump up, leave and ask Red about it but instead moved slightly, flinching as his vision clouded with pain. Starling, who was watching and sorting herbs, let out a chuckle. Smolder ignored her and settled back down. He stared at his paws, letting his mind wander, until he felt something brush his ear. He looked up to see Starling watching him.<p>

"How long are you gonna stay here? If you're awake, you're good enough to walk yourself, and your curse, out of here. Don't train today and you should be fine."

Smolder sighed, knowing he couldn't argue with the future Stoneteller. He got up and limped out of the den, wincing at every step.

As soon as he exited the den, Red greeted him. "Hello, Smolder. Feeling okay?"

"No, not really..." He settled down on the cave's floor. "Starling told me to get out, so I did what she said, but she also said I shouldn't train today."

Red nodded and got up. "Okay. I hope you're better soon. I'm gonna go on a walk with Leaf, so if you'll excuse me-"

Smolder interrupted her. "Wait. You wouldn't chase down a hawk like that just to eat it. So why did you?"

Red gazed at him. "I thought you saw, or that Starling would at least tell you...It was carrying a kit, a snow-white kitten. They named her Ice falling from sky. Moon claimed that she heard it saying that her mommy wanted her warrior name to be Icefall. And no, I don't know what a warrior is. I was there when Moon asked her what it was, and she said she didn't know. It was confusing. Stoneteller said that she could stay in the tribe, or at least until she got a sign from The Tribe of Endless Hunting that she should leave." Red turned and left the cave.

Smolder watched her leave, then exited as well. Two cave-guards, Wings that sweep the wind and Thunder that rumbles loudly, stood outside the cave, conversing. Smolder didn't overhear much, as they stopped talking to glare at him as he passed, but he could tell that they were chatting about the kit. Smolder decided to meet her for himself.

He saw a slightly familiar white she-cat with bright green eyes talking to Boulder and Cloud, Moon's kits, with Moon herself watching nearby. Smolder grabbed a mouse from the caught-prey pile and settled down not too far from the group. He watched the group, deciding not to intervene, since he'd just be sent away.

The she-kit was seated. She still had scratches from the hawk, but they looked almost healed. Smolder wondered how long he had been asleep. She was telling a story of some sort, but Smolder couldn't hear her that well. It was apparently very interesting, as both Cloud and Boulder had wide eyes.

Smolder wished he could hear the story, but if he got any closer he'd have to go clean the elder's den or something. Moon was already eyeing him warily, as if thinking the same thing. Smolder picked at his mouse. He was hungry, but if he finished then he'd have no excuse to stay.

The she-kit- Ice- reminded him more of _her_ every second. Animated and bright, even when injured. An innocent, unassuming shade of white. Smolder shook himself. Comparing them wasn't a good idea. He might try to project her personality onto Ice.

He finished his mouse and sighed, wishing Red was there. He had no one to talk to. He glanced as Snake and Ivy walked by, both glaring at him with such hatred, and he shivered. Why him? Why was he cursed? Why not someone else, anyone else? The sisters walked out of camp without even so much as another glance. Smolder sighed.

Then Dove walked over to the caught-prey pile. She took a rabbit for herself and chewed slowly. Dove was Smolder's mother. She spoke to him somtimes, but she usually gazed at the sky. She had been delusional since Hare, Smolder's sister, had been taken by their father, who had been a rogue. Dove glanced up from her rabbit, saw Ice, and immediately abandoned her prey, dashing over to the she-kit. "Hare! I haven't seen you since your father took you! I've missed you so much!" She began to groom her thoroughly.

"Wha-" Ice began to say, but Dove shushed her.

"It's okay. Mommy's got you."

"Dove." Moon spoke up. "That isn't Hare. That's Ice. She's a she-kit we found carried in by a hawk." Dove's tail tip twitched indignantly.

"No it's not, it's Hare! You think I wouldn't recognize my own daughter?"

Smolder walked over cautiously. "Mother, that's not Hare."

Dove purred. "Oh, Smolder! It's so nice to see you. Now you and your sister are together again. I'm sure you have so much to catch up on! I love being together as a family again."

"..." Smolder felt strangely happy. His mother loved him again, and it gave him memories of a time when she had been just as action-oriented as Red, before the vacant stares and mumbled words.

Dove pulled Smolder in with her tail, bringing him close to Ice. "You haven't seen your sister in so long that you might have trouble recognizing her. She looks a lot smaller too. Must be her father not feeding her enough." She lashed her tail angrily. "Stupid, good-for-nothing tom. Oh, I'll join the tribe. Oh, I love you. Yeah, right!"

"Calm down, Dove. Let's get you to Stoneteller's den," Moon intervened. "I think you look a little ill. Are you shaking? Yeah, you're shaking."

Dove sighed. "I guess. Hare, you'll have to tell me what happened to you later!" She was pushed by Moon into the cave.

Smolder sighed. "Sorry, Ice. You look exactly like my sister, Hare that chases green shoots. Dove thought you were her. She's been depressed and slightly crazy since Hare was taken by my father, who was a rogue...But can you please play along? I haven't seen her so happy since before..." He trailed off.

Ice opened her mouth to respond, but Smolder was knocked over by Boulder, who pinned him down angrily. "Hey! You! Stupid cat! Why are you talkin' to her?! Trying to spread your curse among us kits? Get out! Go!" Boulder stepped away from Smolder, hissing. Smolder got up and backed away. Boulder nodded and turned back to Ice.

"What was that about?" Smolder heard Ice say. She sounded confused.

"Oh, that was Smolder. He's cursed. His sister was kidnapped, one of his littermates was born dead, and his mother is crazy. It seems like every cat he's close to gets hurt, so we all stay away from him. And the Stoneteller had a sign. She never went into detail about exactly what it was but she said it meant that Smolder was cursed."

Ice blinked. "Oh."

Smolder sighed. When he put it like that, it really made him seem bad. Maybe he was cursed. Maybe it was his fault that his mother was insane, and that his only friend was his mentor. He thought about going for a walk out of camp, but decided not too. He felt so useless that all he wanted to do was curl up and die. Padding into the to-be's den, he lay down on his nest, which was near the entrance of the den where the cold wind blew by, and slept, forgetting his troubles in a sweet dream.


	3. Chapter 2

**Main Author: ExplosionsAreFun and One Twinkle in a Million both worked on this.**

* * *

><p>"Smolder! Are you sleeping in until sun-high?" Red's voice called into the apprentice's den.<p>

The said apprentice could hear noisy wind whistling through the cave and outside of it as well. His ears pricked but otherwise didn't budge; he was _sleepy_! Last night had been his first real rest ever since the hawk, what with his numerous wounds and headaches from the constant cold.

"Oh, you lazy furball," Red muttered, walking into the den and prodding him with her paw. "Up, I say!" Smolder's mentor nosed his flank, pushing him up.

Smolder collapsed back down immediately, letting out a snore. he felt sharp thorns dig into his pelt and he yelped as Red's claws pricked his skin. "I'm awake, I'm awake!"

"That's what I thought," Red purred sweetly. "Now eat something and meet me at the entrance of the cave. Nothing too heavy. A sparrow will do."

Smolder yawned, his pink gums and yellow-white fangs showing. He stretched, clumsy with sleep —knocking over a few nests in the process— and stumbled out blearily. The waking effect of the claws had lasted for less than a painful heartbeat.

He padded over to the caught-prey pile and took a sparrow, as his mentor had suggested. He ate slowly, almost falling asleep more than once. When he was done, he stood up, tried, and failed, to shake the remaining sleep off of him.

When he finally felt like it, he padded over to the entrance of the cave, and then followed his mentor out of camp.

"Okay, today I'm going to teach you the— Hey! I thought you were awake!"

Smolder was curled up on a rock. "I am, I'm just resting for a bit."

"Oh, I'll show you resting!" Red pounced on him, pushing him off the rock and making him scramble so he didn't fall off the mountain.

"I could've died!"

"But you didn't, so let's go look around the territory in case those rogues are back. We don't wa-" She was cut off by the wind suddenly intensifying. Their fur was buffeted and blown around, and the wind didn't seem to stop.

"We should go back, this wind is too strong!" Smolder said.

"Nonsense, it's just a little breeze; you'll see worse in your lifetime. Let's go!" Red turned and began walking. Smolder had no choice but to follow.

As they walked around the territory, the wind only got stronger and stronger until they had to shout to hear each other, and they were walking side-by-side. Smolder felt his belly begin to ache and his paws begin to grow weary. He couldn't take this apparent "breeze" much longer. He had opened his mouth to ask to return when suddenly a snowflake fell on his nose. His muzzle was most likely frozen, because the cold white dot seemed to stay there for a long time before melting. More snowflakes fell around him, and he could barely resist the urge the jump around and catch them. Smolder forgot about his desire to go back to the camp. Or at least, for a little bit.

The snowfall slowly got heavier and heavier until Smolder felt like he was going to freeze; not just his nose but his whole outside and inside. The winds blew harder than ever, pulling and pushing up snow already on the ground, hitting his fur so hard it felt like it would rip. Smolder could only see Red beside him, everything else hidden in the endless white. No horizon. No rocks. No sky. Nothing except frost and fear.

Red shouted something he couldn't make out, and she started running. He followed her, desperate not to lose sight of her. She ran around in circles, trying to find the camp, until Smolder located a rock by bumping into it. He went and sat under it, Red following. The snow wasn't directly falling on them anymore, but both mentor and apprentice were iced over from head to tail.

Red stayed there, jaw set, as the snow flurried —no, _raged_— down, unwilling to admit her mistake in bringing the two of them out. _After all this, you still won't apologize_? Smolder bit back the words. That was his trainer's only fault; she was as stubborn as a weed that refused to pull, as stubborn as one of those rabbits that would look you in the eye fearlessly as you hunted it.

"We should try and get back," was all she said after a long silence, broken only by the howling wind and pit-pattering of snow that gradually turned into sleet. "The blizzard seems to be thinning out."

"The _blizzard_?"

"Yes."

Smolder sighed and followed his mentor out from their shelter. At first it seemed that she was right, but then the storm hit back again with full force, almost knocking the to-be over. Soon it was just as bad as it had been before. Ultimately, he was unable to see anything but the blurred form of Red beside him. Every noise was drowned out by the constant shrieking of wind and snow.

"Red!" He cried out his mentor's name but the blizzard swept his words away from the she-cat's ears. Her form was slowly moving away from him, and despite his attempts he couldn't catch up.

He tried to struggled onward, but every step he took dragged out more and more of his energy, and soon he collapsed in the snow surrounded by the endless, inescapable cold.

He found himself back in Stoneteller's den —again— with warmth, oh, this amazing feeling of warmth, surrounding him on all sides and Starling at the entrance blocking something that was trying to get through. Smolder sat up, catching drifts of a tense conversation:

"As I said before, Red, you are not permitted to visit our patient at this current moment. I'll remind you that I am Stoneteller's apprentice," she added hastily as the sound of unsheathed claws scraping stone.

"And I'm a cave-guard," the cat at the entrance —obviously his mentor— retorted. "I could snap you like a twig." _That's just like Red, _Smolder thought, exasperated, before he slumped back down into his nest. Weariness took over once again, and he found himself lapsing into another silent dream.


	4. Chapter 3

**Main Author: the wolfs poet**

It wasn't very long after Smolder had recovered, and the Time of Frozen Water had only grown worse; blizzards had become all the more frequent and, in effect, every critter had all hidden in their burrows to escape the cold.

"Why exactly does all the prey in the mountains decide to run into their burrows when it gets just a little icy?" Smolder meowed angrily.

"Because they're all beetle-brains that don't realize the Tribe needs to be fed!" Red replied, sharing the same indignancies as her apprentice. With that statement they both looked at each other, then to the pitiful caught-prey pile —which consisted of a mouse, barely the same length as its own tail, a sparrow hardly worth its own feathers, and a measly hare with ears the size of its own thigh. Smolder gave vent to an exasperated sigh.

"I guess we should take the hare," he said meekly, although they both would have preferred a bigger piece of prey. As Red bent down to pick the chosen piece of prey a rather familiar small white kit blundered into Smolder, the both of them tumbled for a moment before settling in a cloud of dust.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Ice that falls from sky squeaked as she scrambled to her paws. Her voice sounded like the sweet song of a robin when it celebrated the Time of Freed water.

He wished she was really a robin and that the ice had really thawed.

"That's all right." Smolder said, getting up and shaking himself. He was about to say something else, but angry yowling from the other side of the cave stopped him.

"You won't take her away from me!" It was Dove, her fur spiked up and her eyes wide. As if she were fighting, she swiped at any cat that was near her and continued to shriek about her kit being taken. Smolder raced over, pushing aside the cats that crowded around his mother. He put a tentative paw forward.

"Dove?" he meowed softly, which was responded to with deft blows on his muzzle. His body was racked with a moment of paralyzing shock towards his mother's actions but they were soon swept away as his mother drew him in with her tail, "Smolder, I told you to stay in the cave!" Dove hissed.

"But Dove, we _are_ in the cave..."

Dove leaned in close.

"Smolder, now's not the time to be beetle-brained. Go back to the cave, where it's safe!" she hissed, pushing him closer to what she thought was the entrance to the cave and swiping the closest cat, which —to his satisfaction— just so happened to be Beetle.

Dove's endless yowling and 'fighting' continued on until sundown, when one cat —Snow that covers rock, Smolder recognized— worked up the courage to say, "Hare's gone, Dove! She isn't coming back, you can stop fighting now." The crazy she-cat's eyes widened in surprise.

"Tell me she's not!" she begged, but Snow only gave a solemn shake of his head before turning around and padding away, leaving Dove to break down in agonized wails when suddenly a white-silver figure padded up to her and nosed her flank.

"Dove?" Ice asked gently. Smolder tried to catch the she-kit's gaze but couldn't, though he saw nothing but pure, innocent compassion in her eyes. The conversation between his mother and Ice was just background noise as he walked back to where Red was sitting by the caught-prey pile.

"You kept it, didn't you Red?" Smolder asked. The limp body of the hare they had chosen that morning landed with a soft thud in front of Smolder's paws.

"Go give it to Dove, she'll need it." This was less of a suggestion and more of an order. Smolder had lost his appetite earlier that morning when he failed to calm his mother, so it seemed Red kept the hare. He looked back towards where Dove and Ice were talking. Moon was shooing Ice away and leading Dove back to her nest. Smolder padded over to Dove cautiously as others glared at him from everywhere, and set the hare down in front of his mother.

"Oh, what's this? Has my kit decided to bring me something to eat? How nice of him!" Dove said cheerfully, reaching out to nuzzle his ear. She bit into the hare. How anyone could change from fighting to cheerful Smolder did not know, all he knew was that his mother was safe and fed. Satisfied, he turned around and started to walk away but heard a cough and paused. His mother was fine, he was sure of that, but it didn't hurt to check, right? Indecision came through him in waves until her finally turned around. There was blood on the moss, staining the once-green tendrils scarlet, and for a moment he thought that it was the hare Dove had just bitten from, but the diluted scarlet trails of saliva that dripped from Dove's mouth were disconcerting.

"Dove, did you just..." he was about to ask about the blood, but the words left him, and seeing his mother eat as if nothing happened comforted him slightly. He spun around to leave once again, but—

"Dove!" Moon's sharp meow made him freeze. The she-cat was cornering on him angrily, hissing and spitting and circling him as Dove sank her teeth into the flesh once again.

"What did you do to her? _What_ did you _do_ to her?" the gray and white she-cat demanded, teeth bared and lip curl. She snarled, bloodlust shining in her eyes

"I don't— I didn't—"

"Stoneteller!" Moon's voice rose into a high-pitched wail as she raced out of the den after another sickly cough from Dove. Smolder was left alone with his mother and he tried to put a comforting paw on her shoulder. He could feel the tremors shuddering through her whole body.

"It's going to be okay, mother..." he mewed, feeling like a kit all over again.

Another cough wracked Dove's body, but she found the strength to lift her head and pull back the corners of her mouth to reveal red berries.

_Night-seeds_?!

Smolder pushed away his shock and managed to ask, "Who, Dove? Who did this to you?"

He got a raspy croak in reply: ''Me."

This time he managed only to say one word, one question: "Why?"

Dove did not answer. Her eyes opened fully, showing her beautiful amber eyes. Smolder found that he couldn't look away.

"Smolder... oh, my precious Smolder..."

Smolder's fur stood on end. This sounded like Dove... The real Dove, the Dove from before... Her voice was full of pure mother's love, not the fake cheery affection he'd had to endure all these moons. A fresh wave of pain hit him as he recalled the last day his mother had been sane, the day after Hare was taken; she's pulled him close, pulled him tight, and he could feel her love coursing through her into him.

"Dove..."

"Smolder... take care of Hare. Take care of your younger sister... just promise me..."

Raw pain was in her words, real pain, and it hurt him as well. He broke eye contact with her —how could he bear to see his own orange eyes reflected in her pleading amber?— and whispered an hoarse answer.

"I will. I promise," he said, and in his heart he vowed that it would happen. He would find Hare one day and take care of her like a good brother. For Dove.

He could feel the awry, ragged gasps for breath fall into a rhythm that grew softer and softer before dying out completely. Smolder wanted to say something, anything, but there was nothing except for the constantly whistling outside of the cave.

Warmth was still in Dove's pelt, and he pushed his muzzle into her flank, feeling wetness on his eyes. Salty liquid began to roll down his muzzle, plopping onto Dove's still, lifeless body. He'd only heard of these once, when he was young, in elders' tales; they were called tears, weren't they? And they were not shed unless there was grief, unbearable grief...

And suddenly something in Smolder clicked. Red's jaws, holding on to the poisoned rabbit on its stomach, where the deadly berries apparently were... _Red_!

He sunk even lower into Dove's mossy nest, listening to the quiet chatter outside of the kit-mothers' den, and caught three words that confirmed his fears words that meant the end of the world:

"Red's been poisoned."


	5. Chapter 4

**Thanks to everyone who has followed and favourited the story! :D**

**Main Author: A Twinkling Flame**

* * *

><p>He could hear the whispers. Heard the rumors, heard the gossip, was aware of it all. The most common phrases?<p>

_"We warned her..."_

_"Poor Red..."_

_"Should've banished him the moment Hare disappeared..."_

They chattered like starlings —in fact, Starling herself sometimes joined the exchanges— as if he wasn't even there, as if he was no more than a shadow. No more than the faintest breeze in the air, the exact opposite of the still-raging wind outside. Really, he would suspect that if they would sacrifice him in return for some food they would.

Maybe he was just a shadow. It didn't really matter anymore.

Red had been sick for day upon day upon day; it was a miracle that she was still alive, but starvation made matters worse and just about every herb had died from the cold. No cat would even go out in these constant snowstorms to check for any. Not even him.

_Coward._

_I'm a coward_

_coward_

_coward_

Smolder shook unwanted thoughts away. Red had gotten the sparrow from the pile and the feathers would keep her warm. She'd thrown up all the poison; it was a fever that Stoneteller was concerned about.

Of course, he only heard this from the talk. He wouldn't dare go in there, to see his mentor twitching in agony and knowing that it was half his fault and half his mother's —Dove, for somehow being manipulative enough to know that he and Red would choose the rabbit, and him for following along like a blind kit and indeed picking it.

_"She's in critical condition. Hot with fever and shaking in cold."_

_"Delirious, I'd say."_

After a particularly snide comment from Snake, a to-be that was several moons older than him, Smolder left the warm cave and nestled himself miserably into a sheltered crook in a rock. The cold sliced at his bones, making him even more desolate and lonely and frozen and numb...

_Promise me you'll take care of Hare._

Smolder closed his eyes.

_Promise me you'll..._

He squeezed them tight and flattened his ears.

_...take care of Hare._

He should have walked away when she was dying. Maybe it wouldn't have hurt so much. Maybe he wouldn't have even heard about Red's malady until a while after, postponing his agony.

_Promise_

Shouldn't have

_Me_

made the promise

_You'll_

Make the hurt...

_Take_

...stop...

_Care_

He didn't think he could bear it anymore.

_Of_

Smolder felt like breaking, breaking, breaking

_Hare_

Never felt it before

This shatter-shatter-shattering deep inside him somewhere

"Smolder!"

A sharp, high-pitched mew broke right through his gut-wrenching pain and made him stop his slurring nonsensical thoughts. His heart nearly skipped a beat; was it Red?

_No_... Smolder narrowed his eyes to see past the falling snow as a fluffy pale silver ball bounced towards him.

"Hare?" he croaked. Was his eyesight going awry as well?

"Hare?" the kit echoed as she settled beside him. She gave a snort. "_Everyone_ calls me that, by accident or not." An exaggerated roll of her eyes, and then even more exaggeration as she continued, "you were my _last hope_, and you call me Hare too!" Another indignant huff. She pushed her muzzle into his face, and Smolder scrambled back, stirring up snow.

"Do you know who I really am?"

"Er... Ice, I think..." he said, all memories of Red gone as he studied this strange kit. "I thought they told you to stay away from me. You should. My sister got snatched because of me. I killed my own mother and poisoned the only cat who cares about me in the process."

"You didn't kill her," Ice said bluntly, "she did.

"And besides, you saved me."

"I didn't. If Red hadn't run, I would have left you to fly off."

"But you were the one who caught the hawk," Ice argued.

"They told you that?"

"Red told me."

"And you believed her versus the majority."

"She's the only decent one around here. Are you decent?" the almost-white tabby tipped her head to one side.

"If I said I was decent, then my head would be full of vain feathers and I _wouldn't_ be decent."

Unexpectedly, Ice burst into a _mrrow_ of laughter. "I like you," she decided. "You're decent too."

"I'm cursed. Don't talk to me." Smolder regained his bearings, having lost them from shock, and buried his muzzle in his paws.

A light shove on his flank made him bring his head back up. Ice was poking him in the flank, and without meaning to Smolder flinched. He wasn't used to touch besides shoves, _hard_shoves with malicious intent, and Dove's fakely affectionate grooming. When it was time for the Giving of Close Comfort, Red was bustled away by the other cats and led to her mate, Leaf.

Ice seemed to notice how uncomfortable he was. "Sorry."

"Not your fault." He bit his tongue when he replied automatically. _You tell her not to talk to you, and then you _encourage_ it by responding_?

"Why are you here, then?" He changed the subject.

"Boulder's being a dung-face to me, so I wanted to play with you."

"Dung-face?" Another pang hit him. His sister used the same insult whenever she was angry. His sister asked him to play with her all the time. His sister was just as innocent as Ice.

"Will you play with me?"

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"They'll punish me. They always find out some way."

Both cat knew who _they_ were. Ice planted her paws firmly on the ground.

"That's not fair."

"I know it's not."

"So why don't you stand up and _tell_ them?"

"Because..." he trailed off. _She has a good point_, Smolder acknowledged grudgingly. Now that he thought about it, at least.

"Will you play with me?" Ice repeated for the third time.

"I already gave you my answer." He hated to admit it, but the tom was rather enjoying these exchanges.

"You changed your mind."

Smolder forced his fur to lie flat. _How did you know?_ he wanted to ask, but didn't. Instead he said, "aren't you scared?"

"Of what?"

"Of my curse."

Ice licked her lips. "You think I believe in that stupid stuff?"

"I'm sure Boulder will feel bad for upsetting you and he won't be a... dungface... anymore."

"But it's still boring. And plus, Cloud is like the whiniest kit in the whole entire world. I can't wait 'till I become a to-be," she added.

"I might not play with you," Smolder meowed —that would do nothing but bring back painful memories— "but I can teach you to hunt."

Ice pricked her ears, looking interested. "You're a cave-guard."

Smolder found himself starting to stand up from his crevice. The gelidness had died down a little; it was still cold, but not quite as much. "I've watched enough prey-hunters to know what they do. Now, crouch down for me."

As he bent down to gently correct her swishing tail, Smolder felt the pain in him melt a little more like the snow that they were standing on. He might not be able to take care of Hare —not yet, anyway— but he could and would lead this cat, this cat that looked almost exactly like his sister, on to the right path so she would grow into a formidable prey-hunter.

One day he would rescue Hare, he knew it...

But perhaps for now, this would be enough.


	6. Chapter 5

_**Main Authors: ExplosionsAreFun and A Twinkling Flame**_

* * *

><p>"Hey! <em>Hey! <em>_**HEY!**_"

Smolder almost jumped out of his nest. He looked up and saw Ice sitting next to him, staring at him.

"Come on, sleeping beauty! I wanna show you something!"

Smolder blinked the sleep out of his eyes and got up slowly. The other to-bes shifted slightly, but didn't get up. The tom followed Ice out of the cave where the to-bes slept, being careful not to wake them and wondering where Ice was taking him.

They ended up outside of the main cave altogether. No cat was out and about, to his relief. Ice padded over to a spot under a small rock and picked up something in her mouth, offering it to Smolder. He took it cautiously and was surprised when he scented mouse. He dropped it and looked at Ice. "Did you catch this?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, I did!" The she-kit said excitedly, though she then sighed "It's not the best, I know. It's kind of scrawny."

"Shh, you need to whisper," Smolder said, glancing around. She mouthed a 'sorry'. "And it's a great catch! You're doing more good than most of those lazy prey-hunters, and you're just a kit, too... Not that there's anything wrong with being a kit!" he added hurriedly at her glare.

"Thanks, Smolder," she purred. "But I also wanted to say...I don't think we should practice hunting anymore-"

Smolder cut her off. "What? But... don't you like it? I always have... well, I have fun teaching you! And you just caught something, you're doing so well, why would you..."

Ice curled her tail around his muzzle. "Shut it and let me finish! I was_ going_ to say that we shouldn't practice hunting anymore_ in the daytime_. Moon always tells me not to go near you, and I'm not supposed to go outside in the first place. She hasn't caught us together yet, but it could happen if we're not careful. So maybe we can start meeting at night. How about that?"

"Oh. Oh yeah, that's fine." Smolder felt awkward. Ice uncurled her tail.

"Well, what do you say? It's still dark."

"A cat needs _some_ sleep, you know."

"Fine,_ fine_, we can play tomorrow. Meet me right here around Moonhigh. Let's not talk to each other tomorrow, to avoid suspicion."

Smolder nodded and they slipped back into the cave, unseen and unheard.

He awoke the next morning, feeling slightly more tired than usual. He didn't have any training that day, so it didn't matter too much. Quietly he wondered if he would ever have any more training; Stoneteller hadn't given him a mentor.

He decided to visit Red, He padded out of the to-be's den and walked towards Stoneteller's cave, hoping only his mentor would be there. He glanced in cautiously and saw that Red was lying down, appearing to be asleep. The tom walked over to her and poked her gently with a paw. "Red?"

She opened her eyes slowly, then got up into a sitting position. "Oh, hello Smolder. I was wondering when you'd visit."

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, actually. Stoneteller says I'm completely recovered. But-"

She was interrupted by a sudden, high-pitched gasp. Smolder was pushed onto the ground by an unknown force.

He looked up to see Starling standing between him and Red. "Red! I know you are fond of this cursed devil, but you don't need to endanger the lives of your poor, unborn kits by talking to him!"

"You're... expecting?" Smolder asked, ignoring Starling.

"Yeah. Leaf says I need to go be in the nursery right away, too. He's the father. I know he loves me, and wants what's best for me and the kits- it has been really cold lately, and it's dangerous for a kit-mother to be out and about- but _seriously_. River has been pregnant for a while and she only recently moved to the nursery." She sighed.

"I told you to stop talking to him! Listen to me, or I'll tell Stonetell-"

"Tell me what?" The Teller of Pointed Stones padded into her den and surveyed the room, narrowing her eyes and she spotted Smolder. "Oh. _You_. Get away from her. You need a new mentor. Follow me." She walked out again, and Smolder had no choice but to follow.

"Cats of the Tribe, gather around to hear my words..."

Stoneteller sat on top of a rock next to the cave. Everyone gathered around and looked up at her; kits stopped playing to watch with round eyes; to-bes halted arguing to see what was going to happen, wondering if they would become full-fledged cave-guards or prey-hunters that day, running humble lines of acceptance through their heads; kit-mothers paused gossiping to sigh and slowly walk over to the rock. Once she was satisfied she had everyone's attention, Stoneteller began.

"Cats of the Tribe, I bring news of new births in this harsh winter. The cave-guard Red sun that hangs over sky is expecting kits and they will come sometime in the next two moons. New tribe members are always welcome, and are needed in this harsh time. However, she will be unable to attend to her normal duties of protecting us all, so the remaining cave-guards will have to work harder to make up for her temporary loss." She cast a glance towards where the cave-guards sat together. "Oh yeah, and her apprentice, Smoldering embers of dead flames, needs a new teacher. Thunder that rumbles loudly, you wil mentor this to-be in his true mentor's absence."

Smolder sighed. He had expected a real ceremony, one all the other apprentices would've gotten, but he should have known better. Something he was prepared for was Thunder's outcry. "What?! I have to mentor this cursed... creature?"

"Yes, you do. I dislike him as much as you do, but if we don't mentor him he'll run away, and if he runs away he'll return to his father and they'll attack. We wouldn't stand a chance against those rogues. So he stays, and you're going to mentor him."

_As if_! Smolder thought, his initial disappointment replaced by anger. The closest he'd ever get to those mangy curs would be to get Hare back.

Thunder sighed. "Yes, oh _great_ and_ wise_ Stoneteller."

Stoneteller met the cave-guard's eyes for a long moment, then the old she-cat flicked her tail. "Dismissed." She turned and walked back into the cave.

Cats broke off into groups, whispering amongst themselves. Thunder let out a low growl, sounding like the thunder he was named for, and padded over to his new apprentice. "Come on, let's go train_ now_. You've been lying around for too long."

Smolder nodded and followed the irritable tom out of camp, terrified about what was to come, his only comfort Ice flicking her tail along his shoulder as she passed by.

Smolder sighed and crashed into his nest that evening. They had battle training that day, and while Thunder fought with sheathed claws, the to-be still felt bruised all over from constantly falling onto hard rock. The cold had seemed to sap all of his energy after a few moments of battle, so he could hardly fight back. Thunder wasn't

affected by the constant snow, though; if anything he had more energy than a normal cat. _Hatred is a fire that burns fiercely_, Smolder thought with a small sigh, too quiet to bother the other apprentices. _I wonder if Ice won't mind that I skipped our first Moonhigh training session..._ he thought, then drifted into sleep.


	7. Chapter 6

**Main Authors: A Twinkling Flame and ExplosionsAreFun**

**(this chapter is really long :P)**

* * *

><p>"Ice!" A yowl made the pair freeze in their tracks. Smolder had only just recovered enough to meet Ice once again, and who ever the shout had come from had chosen this time, of all the times, to catch them. Ice widened her eyes at Smolder and opened her muzzle, mouthing 'hide'.<p>

"Yes?" she called sweetly towards the shadows.

"What are you doing out so late? You know kits are prohibited to be outside of the cave, principally not in the middle of the night. You're disregarding curfew. I am exceedingly disappointed in you." The figure stepped out into the moonlight and Smolder could see the pale shape of Starling, outlined in silver.

He didn't turn and hide, though. If Ice was to face a punishment, he would do the same.

"And who is... Smolder! You... you're with this blighted... this _nefarious_ archfiend? You're going to be in a remarkable about of trouble! Come with me, instantly!" She paused, and Ice took this moment to glare at her "chaperone" wholeheartedly. "Savage... I mean, Smolder... go back to your den. Now!" She padded off into the cave, and Ice shot one last mutinous look at Smolder before following her. He hung his head and closed his eyes. He wouldn't dare look after the two she-cats as they padded back —Starling walking at more of a brisk trot than padding— to the cave entrance. After a while of sitting in silence, Smolder opened his eyes trudged back to where the to-bes slept. Greatly abashed, he curled up in the bed of moss and lichen and curled his tail around himself as he laid down, getting the sleep he was sure he'd need for another tomorrow with Thunder.

_**"GET UP!" **_

Smolder jumped awake and stood up. "I'm ready for training, sir!" he yelped, quickly adding the last word after remembering other times that he hadn't and held back a wince.

"Good. I was beginning to think I had taken a newborn kit as a to-be." Thunder calmly licked a paw and drew it over his ear.

Suddenly a faint yowl of pain was heard. Both mentor and to-be paused, pricking their ears. Several heartbeats later, Starling dashed in. Quite unlike her usual dignified pose and sleek pelt, her fur was ruffled and she was panting. "Thunder! River is giving birth to your kits!" Thunder gave a brisk nod and padded out of the den with some hesitance, as if he didn't want to visit his mate. Starling turned to look at Smolder. "Stoneteller said you had to clean the elder's den before you begin your training today." She turned and padded away. "Try not to curse any of our progenitors while you're at it," she meowed saccharinely over her shoulder as she left the den, perhaps knowing that Smolder had no idea what 'progenitors' meant. Smolder ducked his head and headed for the elder's den with a sigh, wishing he didn't have to listen to her. He thought about sneaking into the nursery to see River's kits, but decided against it, since he'd probably curse the newborns unwittingly.

He arrived at his destination. Hawk was the only one awake, and his glassy green eyes lingered on Smolder for a moment before he went back to staring off into space. Hawk that soars through sky was once one of the tribe's greatest cave-guards, but he was now old and weak. Smolder began to remove the old bedding- a mixture of moss and feathers- and pushed it aside. When he neared Hawk, the old tom moved over so he could reach what was under him. Smolder wondered if Hawk thought he was cursed. If he did, the elder didn't show it, until suddenly, out of the blue:

"Yer ain't cursed, young 'un." The elder snorted, and Smolder wondered if he'd heard right. "Them tribish fools, they got no blood in them veins. Scurry 'round like mice. Yer ain't cursed, long as you believe that then yer ain't. My name's a Hawkclaw, Hawkclaw it is, and long as _I_ believe that I am, so should be same for yer." He went on to mutter under his breath.

Smolder blinked at his sudden outburst. "But...Isn't your name..."

"Oh, my name's Hawkclaw," Hawk said loudly, "and yer better 'lieve it 'cause I am Hawkclaw from RiverClan, and I know that Icy gal, she's Icekit of RiverClan too and her mother Silverstar gonna name her Icefall when she grow up. Yes, her mother says she gonna—"

"Er... okay," Smolder meowed, wondering what 'RiverClan' was, only to be interrupted.

"Ye 'ont believe it do ye," Hawk"claw" meowed, a tinge of bitterness in his voice. "But one day ye will, young 'un, ye will."

Smolder opened his mouth to respond, but then he heard a call. "Cats of the Tribe, gather around and hear my words..."

He made a mental note to come back and finish cleaning the elder's den- and to interrogate Hawk"claw" on what he had said. Padding out of the cave, he sat down by himself to hear the great and wise Stoneteller's words.

"Today is a glorious day. The Tribe of Endless Hunting has spoken to me, and they say it is time for Ivy, Snake, and Mouse to become full-fledged members of our beautiful tribe."

Smolder found himself almost hearing Hawk snort at the mention of their "beautiful" tribe. _Now I'm hearing things_, he thought.

"Ivy that clings to cave wall, please step up beside me." The black-and-white to-be silently padded up beside the rock, head ducked, though a smug expression on her face was visible as she passed by.

"You have served us all well as a to-be, and it is now time for you to serve your Tribe even more as a full member. The Tribe of Endless Hunting has spoken to me, and I speak in their place today. Eagle that soars at dawn, is this young she-cat ready for the honour of becoming one of our Tribe's protectors?"

"She is most certainly ready," Eagle meowed in response.

Stoneteller gave a brisk nod. "Then you are no longer Ivy that clings to cave wall, the to-be, but Ivy that clings to cave wall, proud cave-guard of the Tribe of Rushing Water." Stoneteller spoke with all the authority and dignity of a leader as she proudly named the former to-be.

"May The Tribe of Endless Hunting bless you with the strength to serve our Tribe for as long as you remain!" she called before touching her nose to Ivy's forehead.

"I accept this great honor that our ancestors bestow upon me, and I promise to serve my Tribe for as long as I live," Ivy meowed humbly. The Tribe began to cheer for their newest cave-guard.

Stoneteller dipped her head to the younger she-cat, and the gesture was returned. Ivy walked down and took her place with the other cave-guards.

"Snake who spits at stones, plea-" The old, mottled gray she-cat began, but was interrupted as Snake, a brown tabby to-be, raced up beside her.

_He's gonna get it_, Smolder thought. His thoughts were echoed as whispers picked up throughout the tribe. "How rude!" from Moon, apparently forgetting that her kits were rude as well. "Oooh..." from Boulder and Cloud —Smolder had no idea where Ice was, but he knew she would've joined in if she were at the meeting. "Who does he think he is?" from the caveguards and prey-hunters.

But just a quiet sigh from Stoneteller, and Smolder was reminded that Snake was under the protection of being related to the next Stoneteller, as Starling and Snake were from the same litter.

"You have caught much prey to feed our Tribe-"

"Get on with it! I don't have all day!" Snake smirked with the knowledge that he'd be safe.

"Young tom! For your impudence, you will not become a full prey-hunter for another moon!"

Snake gasped. "Bu-but...I'm sure Starling has something to say about that!"

"I do, actually," the she-cat said, stepping out from the crowd and sitting beside Stoneteller on the rock. "I think your punishment should last for two moons. Maybe three."

Snake's briefly smug look faded. "Wha..."

"Indeed. Now go and clean the elder's den. You can take the cursed one's job."

Stoneteller nodded in approval. Snake sighed and stomped off. His footsteps could be heard echoing through the main cave. Smolder felt a small flash of disappointment; he'd wanted to finish cleaning to ask Hawk about things, but surely no cat would let him in the elders' den now. It was downright unnatural for any cat to want to clean a den, especially the filthy elders. They'd probably think he _wanted_ to curse them, and that would lead to only bad events.

"That was handled well, Starling," Stoneteller said with a purr. "Now, Mouse. Please step up beside me."

Mouse looked down to the ground as he walked up, though Smolder could tell he was nervous, not proud.

"You have caught much prey to feed our Tribe during your time as a to-be, and it is now time for you to serve your tribe even more as a full member. The Tribe of Endless Hunting has spoken to me, and I speak in their place today. Beetle that climbs cave walls, is your to-be ready to become one of our tribe's providers?"

"With all due respect, Stoneteller, no," Beetle said.

"Excuse me?"

"He's not ready. He still has more to learn, and he needs to stop being a follower and become his own cat."

Stoneteller looked taken aback. "Well... well, you're his teacher. If you feel like he's not ready, then I suppose he's not ready. Please notify me when he is."

"I will, Stoneteller," Beetle said, bowing his head.

"That's all of the ceremonies then. But before you are dismissed, there is one more thing to announce. River has given birth to Thunder's kits. It was a litter of three, two she-kits and a tom. Their names are Blue petals of soft flower, Daisy who sprouts in warmth, and Night owl who strikes his prey. May they be blessed by The Tribe of Endless Hunting as they grow and learn." She flicked her tail. "Dismissed." Jumping down, she padded into the cave.

As soon as she was gone, an angry screech was heard. Snow, the tom who was Snake, Starling, and Mouse's father, had pinned Beetle onto the ground. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, NOT READY!? HE'S AN EXTREMELY TALENTED YOUNG TOM! IF HE'S NOT READY, IT'S YOUR FAULT FOR BEING SUCH A TERRIBLE TEACHER!"

Most of the Tribe backed away from the two, except for Fish, who was Snow's mate, and Starling.

"Snow that covers rock, you must-" Starling began.

"AND YOU!" Snow left Beetle to scurry off and turned on his daughter. "YOU HUMILIATED YOUR OWN BROTHER IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE TRIBE. HOW COULD YOU? HAVE YOU NO SENSE OF FAMILY LOYALTY?"

"Now, now! Is that any way to speak to your future Stoneteller?" Starling said, not even flinching when her father yelled at her. She looked almost bored.

Stoneteller walked out of the cave again, an angry look on her face. "Snow! If you are going to act like a to-be, you will be treated like one! You are to clean the nursery. Immediately!"

"I'm not acting like a to-be! You are! Make my kits prey-hunters, now!" Snow's voice was a high whine.

Stoneteller walked closer and closer to Snow until they were so close, a mouse's whisker wouldn't fit between them. The leader of the Tribe growled something in a low, low voice, not to be heard, and Snow stepped back.

"I apologize profusely, Stoneteller! I will certainly do what you asked." Snow dashed to the nrusery without looking back.

Stoneteller nodded, satisfied, and walked back into the cave. Smolder smirked inwardly, though it seemed he didn't hide it well enough, as Starling caught him and fixed her angry gaze directly at him, until he shrank back to the cave wall. Starling turned and walked back into the cave after her mentor with a slight nod of approval.

Smolder relaxed as Starling padded away. He suddenly spotted Ice —the latter stomping towards the nursery— and tried to make eye contact, but once he succeeded he was immediately met with another glare and Ice walked away, looking more fearsome than he'd ever seen her. Shocked and slightly hurt, Smolder sighed and turned away as well, musing.

_I should've listened to Red when she gave me a lesson on how to make a legit apology_...

Because now the only other that cared about him besides his mentor hated him (probably), and Smolder didn't know what to do about it.

Feeling tired, even though it was still morning, Smolder decided to head back to the to-be's den for a short nap. He couldn't go and talk to Hawk, Ice was mad, Red was pregant and he couldn't go near the nursery. Thunder would be too busy with his kits to train him.

Or so Smolder thought, but he was quickly proven wrong when Thunder walked out in front of him as he was padding towards the cave. "Where are you going?" The gray tom hissed, yellow eyes narrowed.

"I'm- I'm going to the to-be's den," Smolder said, silently cursing himself for stuttering.

"Why? We still have training today, you know? Did you think the ceremony somehow exempts you from doing anything?"

"Er..." Smolder winced._ Exempt?_

"Answer me, then!" the cat snapped. His fur looked ruffled.

"Well..."

Smolder felt stinging claws rake across his cheek. Even more downcast now, he plodded out of the cave to follow his furious mentor outside of camp.


End file.
